Telephone-exchange system.



J. L. WRIGHT.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM. mmcmou men our. 15. 1908. nsnzwsn JUNE 2, 1915.

1,168,259. I Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Wit" eons @MTEE STATE FATENT @FFTQE.

JOSETI-I L. WRIGHT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO 0F VIASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

EDWARD E. CLEMENT,

SSIGNOR, BY IVIESN'E ASSIGNMENTS, TO

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

Application filed October 15, 1908, Serial no. 457,929.

State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone- Exchange Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to telephone ex change systems and has for its object the provision of means whereby the duration of a telephonic conversation may be accurately recorded, and the operator notified when a predetermined time has elapsed.

The invention contemplates the employment of any desired circuits, and may be applied to automatic as well as manual sys-' tems. Briefly stated it comprises an indicater normally at zero "position, and a motor or driving shaft with which the indicator is engaged at the beginning of a conversation, as soon as the connection through the central office apparatus is completed. An alarm or signal lamp is so arranged that after the indicator has been driven for a predetermined length of time or through a predetermined length of travel, the operator will be notified. This pro-vision is especially useful where charges are based upon the duration as well as the number of conversations. Thus, for example, in toll work, it is common to make a fixed charge for each given connection for a period of three minutes or less, with an extra charge for each-additional minute. My indicator being applied to the toll o-perators cord-circuits, will automatically notify her at the expiration of three minutes, and will directly indicate or record the lapsed time both before and after that. I

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a diagram showing two subscribers telephone lines and central ofiice apparatus for interconnecting them.

Figs. 2, 3 and a are details of apparatus.

In Fig. 1, A and A are subscribers stations connected to the central office by lines 1, 2, 3, 4:, each line being provided with the usual line relay R, cut-off relay R, lamp L, and answering jack J. There may also be multiple jacks but the same are not shown, as they form no part of the present invention.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Renewed June 2, 1915. Serial No. 31,790.

P and P are an answering and a calling plug respectively, connected by the cord conductors 5-6 and 78 broken by the condensers C, and having the central office battery B bridged across them by way of the conductors 9, 10, 1'1, 12, 13, and 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17.

L and L are the answering and calling supervisors controlled by the tip relays R and B respectively, and supplied with current when the plugs are inserted in the jacks through the energization of the battery supply relays-R and R All the apparatus thus far described is of ordinary and well known construction and arrangement and may be varied ad libitum without affecting my invention.

D is a constantly rotating shaft carrying a 'gear wheel d adapted to mesh with another gear wheel d but normally disengaged therefronr The gear d together with a disk (Z carrying stud (Z and weighted at {Z to keep it normally in the position shown, is

pivoted at (Z on the lower end of the lever (Z which itself is pivoted at (Z and has its upper end carrying the armature (Z of the magnet D. This magnet is included in a ground connection 18 from the front contact of relay R and since this relay becomes energized only when a called subscriber answers, it follows that the magnet D will be energized only at such times. "When this magnet draws over the armature 61 it throws the lever arm d to the right, car'ry ing with it the gear wheel (Z and all its attachments. The gear wheel engages with its pinion (Z and is thereby rotated in the direction of the arrow, ataspeed determined by the speed of rotation of the shaft D which is constant and so'timed as to allow say three minutes to elapse before the stud d will be carried through an arc of 180 degrees. hen the wheel has been rotatedthis much, however, the stud is caused to close contact between a pair of springs S, thereby closing the energizing circuit 19 of a special signal lamp L which by its lighting inclicates to the operator that the stated period of communication has expired and an extra charge must be made for time thereafter.

I may provide an electromagnet D with a stop arm (Z and controlled through thebranch circuit 20by the relay R thus be coming energized as soon asthe plug is inserted in a wanted line jack. This holds the gear d against accidental displacement, and continues so to hold it after the called subscriber has finally hung up. Were it not for this provision, the weight d would cause the Wheel (Z to return to zero position as soon as the magnet D becomes deenergized, which would necessitate constant vigilance on the part of the operator to avoid missing a reading of the time. The reading of fractional parts of time after the first period has elapsed, or in fact the reading of any lapsed time, is by means of graduations on the edge of the wheel (Z suitably marked as shown in Fig. 2. These are preferably exposed to the operator one at a time, or otherwise designated in any well known manner, so that the operator can make the correct charge for the entire time consumed in the actual conversation by the two subscribers.

Figs. 3 and at show modifications in the method of controlling the timing wheel. Instead of having the magnet D automatically energized when the called subscriber answers, I have shown it in Fig. 3 as becoming energized when the operator throws down the key' K which she does upon perceiving that the lamp L is extinguished, signifying that the called subscriber has answered. Fig. 4 shoWs a still simpler arrangement of apparatus without any actuated magnet but simply a manually operable lever having a handle cl manipulated by the operator in a similar manner to the key K in Fig. 3. p

I am aware that many changes: may be made in the method of practising this invention, and in the details of the apparatus. I contemplate all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is g 1. A message registering system comprising means for interconnecting parties for message transmission, a motor mechanism, a timing mechanism, a special signal controlled by the timing mechanism, means automatically actuated in completing a message connection to engage the timing mechanism with the motor and at the termination thereof to disengage it therefrom, and means also automatically actuated at the beginning of a message connection and remaining actuated thereafter, for retaining the timing mechanism in its actuated or indicating position, substantially as described.

2. In a telephone exchange system, an operators cord circuit having sleeve and tip relays and a bridged battery, a constantly driven motor mechanism and a time indicator. normally disengaged therefrom and adapted to be held in a zero or non-indicating position, an electromagnet adapted to throw said indicator into engagement with g the motor mechanism, a stop or detent for said timing mechanism, an electromagnet controlllng the same, and circuit connections for said electromagnets controlled by the.

cord circuit relays, whereby the time indicator will be started when a called subscriber answers, will be stopped when he finally hangs up his receiver, and will be returned to zero when the connection with his line is broken, substantially as described.

3. In a telephone exchange system, line circuits and means. for interconnecting the same, with a message registering device comprising a constantly driven motor, a timing I device associated with but. normally disenj gaged from said motor, a special signal controlled by said timing device after a predetermined interval oftime from its starting,

an electromagnet for engaging the timing 1 ling said engagement, a circuit for said electromagnet controlled by the supervisory relay, and a signal actuated by saidcircuit controller, substantially as described.

5. In a telephone exchange system, line circuits, a link circuit for interconnecting the same, a relay associated with said link circuit and becoming energized when the link is brought into connection with a line, a second relay associated with the link circuit and responsive to current flow in the connected line, a motor mechanism,a timing device normally disengaged therefrom, an electromagnet controlled by the first link circuit relay and adapted when energized to maintain the timing device immovable, and an electromagnet controlled by the second link circuit relay and adapted when energized to disengage the timing device from its holding means and engage it with the motor, whereby the initial connection of a I link with a line will set the holding magnet, but will produce no effect upon the timing device, the response of the called subscriber will throw the timing device into engagei nent with the motor and start it to running, the cessation of current flow when the subscriber finishes his conversation will disengage the timing device from the motorand cause it to engage its holding device, and finally when the indication has been read, the disengagement of the link circuit terminals from the line terminals will release the timing device and permit it to resume a normal or zero position.

6. In a telephone exchange system, an operators cord circuit having sleeve and tip relays and a bridged battery, a time indicator biased to and normally occupying a Zero indicating position but adapted to be driven from said position to other indicating positions, an operating circuit for the indicator under the control of the tip relay, whereby the indicator is started when a called subscriber answers and will be stopped when he finally hangs up his receiver, and a detent for said timing mechanism under the control of the operator whereby the indicator is held in the indicating position which it occupies when stopped as aforesaid until released by 15 act of the operator.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH L. WRIGHT. Witnesses:

A. J. SPERRY, ALBERT LYNN LAWRENCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

